From April 18 through May 9, the American Cancer Society is sharing an unprecedented opportunity with LA County Residents to change the face of cancer for future generations by enrolling in a historic long-term study. 300,000 diverse men and women ages 30 to 65 who have never been diagnosed with cancer are needed to enroll in the Society’s Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3), to help determine which genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors cause cancer.

The goal of CPS-3 is to eliminate cancer as a major health concern by examining what factors can cause cancer. ACS is looking to the Los Angeles community to join the fight.

To enroll, LA County residents can schedule an appointment online or by phone for a local enrollment site. Participants first fill out a survey at home, and upon completion receive a confirmation ID to bring to the appointment, which will take place between April 18 and May 9. While on-site, participants will fill out a short survey, provide a waist measurement and small blood sample as small as seven tablespoons.

The blood sample will be stored securely, and will be used for analysis if cancer cases occur. The remaining commitment is very simple. Participants will receive a follow-up survey about their lifestyle habits for at least 20 years.

“What we really want the LA community to know is how important these studies are to help identify major factors that affect cancer risk,” said Alpha V. Patel, Ph.D., principal investigator of CPS-3. “We know now that smoking links to lung cancer, but we wouldn’t know this without the commitment of individuals that participated in Cancer Prevention Studies I & II.”

Dr. Patel added, “CPS-3 holds the best hope of identifying new and emerging cancer risks, and we can only do this if members of the community are willing to become involved.”

LA County residents can choose from several community enrollment sites. Information about local sites and to make an appointment can be done by visiting www.cps3la.org or by calling (888) 604-8888.